Mini catt species?

[theorchidapartment]

Originally Posted by Orchidtinkerer

I came across a nice little article on the history of mini catts

Amazing Minicatts

Wow, thanks so much! Excited to check it out.

[Roberta]

Those are some classics. A big driver for breeding minicatts (and smaller) was the fact that LOTS of people who want to grow orchids don't have much space and also need plants that aren't fussy about temperature or even light. You can fit these on a windowsill. And many of them also bloom more than once a year. What's not to love?

[SouthPark]

If you like purple colours ------- maybe could try a C. Mini Purple. With this sort of mini catt, I managed over some time to end up with three cultivars of it ...... 'Tracy', 'Tamami', and 'Orchid Centre'. These are hybrids. Fantastic work by those people that provided us with these cultivars, and all the other ones! Will share pics on their next flowering(s)!

[theorchidapartment]

Just a quick update: I had a gift certificate for Andy's and when I called to order a Sophronitis pygmea, Andy suggested Sophronitis cernua because it is a warm grower. Someday I hope to have a cool growing terrarium, but in the meantime, I am looking forward to getting acquainted with my first Catt!

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by theorchidapartment

Sophronitis cernua

I just entered those words from your post to take a look at the flowers from that kind of orchid. Wonderful! Orange colours. I haven't got any orange coloured flower orchids yet. One day I will look for an orange flower one! Nice recommendation from Andy.

[Roberta]

S. cernua is a delightful species (a couple of examples on my website). The purple pollinia are a bonus, nice contrast. I get away with growing it outside, but compared to other Sophronitis it's marginal... Andy is right, it is happier a bit warmer. (I think I have one in bud, but never sure until they actually emerge from the new leaf.. this group doesn't have a noticeable sheath so the buds hide until the new growth is developed and the leaf opens... any minute now...

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Orchidtinkerer

I came across a nice little article on the history of mini catts

Amazing Minicatts

I found it interesting. I haven't seen most of the crosses mentioned before and the numbers really reflect a shift from Big flowers being popular in the 50s to more compact plants later on.

the lc clive sounds like a nice hybrid I'd never heard of before, probably lost to time by now

Ron Midgett (author of the article) is still active, visit New Earth Orchids to see his plants. Most of his breeding tends to be compact rather than miniature though.

[SundayGardener]

Shout out to Fred Clark,Sunset Valley Orchids, breeder of minis and compacts. I have 3 in bloom right now and several more in bud. At this point, the bulk of my collection is Sunset Valley plants, I have found them to be very reliable and rewarding for new growers.

[SouthPark]

Here's a youtube video I found a moment ago on mini-catts.

2016 - Peter T. Lin (Mini Catt Species & Hybrids) 6th Annual Cattleya Symposium - YouTube